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At the beginning of almost every GCN instalment recently, I’ve been seeing an ad for the above bike, and I’m wondering if I’m alone in finding it both morally dubious and a bit naff.
First of all, it portrays a group of 3 people riding together up a climb. One of them is bobbing up and down on the saddle, then presses a button when suddenly, he’s able to take off ahead and ride the climb with no problem.
So what the hell is the difference between that and doping, then? And even if the rider is using electronic assist because of age or disability, the suggestion that his climb is only possible due to the electronic push must surely undermine any sense of accomplishment.
it all seems a bit like me saying ‘I’m a great flyer, me. can fly higher than a bird. I just need a plane to do it. Then you’ll see how good I am at flying.’ It’s not you that’s flying, mate. It’s the effing plane!
But for me, the real spanner is the fact that one of the other two riders is pedalling his road bike decked out for a day on the mountain bike: jersey, baggy shorts... the only thing I can’t remember is whether or not he had a peak on his helmet.
I would have expected such a shit ad from a used watch reseller, perhaps, but Ribble?!? What were they thinking?!?
morally dubious...
Eh?
...and a bit naff.
Probably.
The target market is new-golfer's who are maybe starting to find their riding mates fitness outstrips them, but they can afford to participate in the e-bike arms race...
So what the hell is the difference between that and doping, then?
Well it's not actually a race, just some bluffer beating his mates up a hill on Sunday so...
Mehh, looks like an old bloke keeping up to me. If someone old / disabled turned up on a clubrun with one of those I wouldn't bat an eyelid, it's not a race.
But for me, the real spanner is the fact that one of the other two riders is pedalling his road bike decked out for a day on the mountain bike: jersey, baggy shorts… the only thing I can’t remember is whether or not he had a peak on his helmet.
Looks like the average STWer "I'm going to wear baggies on the road bike because I'm ridiculously good looking and don't want to distract the ladies on my gravel bike".
But for me, the real spanner is the fact that one of the other two riders is pedalling his road bike decked out for a day on the mountain bike: jersey, baggy shorts… the only thing I can’t remember is whether or not he had a peak on his helmet.
At his age he's probably on enough meds to need a TUE anyway.
I haven't seen the ad but is it's message not "I can beat you up this hill with my electrical assist", but more "This hill is now piss easy with my electrical ass..." ?
@cookieaa: I'm not being entirely serious of course, but by 'morally dubious' I'm referring to the fact that it seems to suggest that the way to beat your friends up a hill is with electronic assistance, as opposed to doing it under your own steam.
Well that does seem an effective way of beating your mates up a hill, I'm getting seriously annoyed about the smug git who keeps passing me on a hill on his electric recumbent, I must be pushing close to 500 watts and he just cruises on past like I'm sat still... 🙂
So what the hell is the difference between that and doping, then?
Nothing, in race terms. They are both banned. Although there are no health risks associated with e-bikes.
On your local climbs with your mates - well, it's up to you if you want to care or not. I suggest not 🙂 It isn't a race, unless it is, and then you need to square it with your mates. I suggest anyone buying one of these specifically to beat their mates up hills is completely deranged as they'll all know, and the victory obviously won't count.
The best use for these on club rides is for those who are older/slower/unfit to keep up with those who aren't. To be honest, I wish my wife had an e-bike, we'd be able to get loads of riding together, but she's so vehemently against the idea that I daren't mention it again.
The best use for these on club rides is for those who are older/slower/unfit to keep up with those who aren’t.
Good luck with that, many clubs are pretty conservative. But I'm not sure it would help much, you could use one to keep up on the hills but once your over 15mph, as you'd be a lot of the time the assist shuts of.
...by ‘morally dubious’ I’m referring to the fact that it seems to suggest that the way to beat your friends up a hill is with electronic assistance, as opposed to doing it under your own steam.
You could argue that by motoring up the hills He's not forcing his fitter buddies to stop and wait for him, thus his choice is actually the more 'moral' one, keeping the group rolling rather than stopping up every hill...
Dumb
Although there are no health risks associated with e-bikes.
Oh I dunno, judging by the chubbers I saw on them this weekend... 😉
Good luck with that, many clubs are pretty conservative.
I can see it depending on who turned up on one. New Golf'er, might get some funny looks, someone who'd been a member for decades and is now 70 would be given a free pass I reckon.
But I’m not sure it would help much, you could use one to keep up on the hills but once your over 15mph, as you’d be a lot of the time the assist shuts of.
Not so sure, it would get you up anything other than a slight incline faster than pretty much anyone else, which just leaves the flats, where sitting in the bunch is saving you 1/3 the power anyway. The only place it might struggle are climbs gentle enough to allow the group to sustain 15mph but the benefit of drafting is diminished, but then you'd catch them as soon as it ramped up a bit.